Updated on March 6, 2024
The word market holds a significant place in our lives, serving as a hub for commerce and a reflection of cultural traditions. Its origins can be traced back to the Latin word mercatus, meaning 'trading.' Today, this term is used in various contexts, from physical marketplaces to stock markets, and even e-markets.
Understanding the translation of market in different languages can provide valuable insights into how diverse cultures conduct trade and view commerce. For instance, in Spanish, market is translated as mercado, which shares its roots with the Latin term. Meanwhile, in Japanese, it becomes ichiba, and in Russian, rynok.
Delving into these linguistic nuances not only expands our vocabulary but also offers a glimpse into the economic history and social fabric of different societies. Join us as we explore the many translations of the versatile word market around the world!
Afrikaans | mark | ||
The Afrikaans word "merk" ("mark") is derived from the Dutch word "markt" meaning "market" but also refers to a "mark" or "trace". | |||
Amharic | ገበያ | ||
The word "ገበያ" (market) in Amharic also means "a place where people come together to talk or gather". | |||
Hausa | kasuwa | ||
The word 'kasuwa' is derived from the Arabic word ' السوق (as-suwāq)' meaning 'marketplace' and is also used to refer to a specific type of market that is held on a regular basis. | |||
Igbo | ahịa | ||
The term `ahịa` originates from the Igbo word `hị` meaning a place, and `ah` referring to the act of exchange or trading. | |||
Malagasy | tsena | ||
The Malagasy word "tsena" derives from the Chinese "chhàn" (shop, store), which was introduced to Madagascar via Southeast Asian traders. | |||
Nyanja (Chichewa) | msika | ||
The word "msika" is a borrowing from Arabic "sūq" ("market") and it can also mean "store" or "shop". | |||
Shona | musika | ||
The word "musika" in Shona also refers to a place where people gather for social activities or to discuss matters of community interest. | |||
Somali | suuqa | ||
The word "suuqa" originates from the Arabic word "suwq", meaning "marketplace". | |||
Sesotho | marakeng | ||
The word "marakeng" is also used to refer to an established, regulated place where goods are bought and sold. | |||
Swahili | soko | ||
The Swahili word "soko" also refers to a meeting place or a place of assembly. | |||
Xhosa | kwimarike | ||
The word 'kwimarike' is derived from the Zulu word 'imakethe', which also means 'market'. | |||
Yoruba | ọjà | ||
The word "ọjà" can also refer to the process of buying and selling, or a place where goods are exchanged. | |||
Zulu | emakethe | ||
The Zulu word "emakethe" originates from the Nguni language and has additional meanings such as "place of trade" or "gathering point". | |||
Bambara | sugu | ||
Ewe | asime | ||
Kinyarwanda | isoko | ||
Lingala | zando | ||
Luganda | akatale | ||
Sepedi | mmaraka | ||
Twi (Akan) | dwa | ||
Arabic | سوق | ||
From Proto-Semitic *shūq 'to be narrow, strait', also 'street, path'. Originally an 'open space' | |||
Hebrew | שׁוּק | ||
The term “שׁוּק” (“shuk”), originally an Akkadian term for “canal,” came to refer to the open space next to a canal and, more generally, to an open place, such as a marketplace. | |||
Pashto | بازار | ||
The Pashto word "بازار" can also mean a "public square" or a "meeting place". | |||
Arabic | سوق | ||
From Proto-Semitic *shūq 'to be narrow, strait', also 'street, path'. Originally an 'open space' |
Albanian | tregu | ||
The word | |||
Basque | merkatua | ||
The word “merkatua” is of Basque origin and means “plaza of exchange.” | |||
Catalan | mercat | ||
The word "mercat" in Catalan derives from the Latin word "mercatus" meaning "commerce" or "trade". | |||
Croatian | tržište | ||
The Croatian word 'tržište' is derived from the Proto-Slavic word '*trgъ', which also meant 'square' or 'meeting place'. | |||
Danish | marked | ||
Marked can also mean “field” or “meadow” in Danish. | |||
Dutch | markt | ||
The word "markt" in Dutch can also refer to a square or a place where people gather. | |||
English | market | ||
The word "market" can also refer to a public space or assembly, such as a market square or a town market. | |||
French | marché | ||
In medieval Latin, "marcatus" referred to the right to host public fairs. | |||
Frisian | merk | ||
"Merk" also means "trade" or "deal" in Frisian. | |||
Galician | mercado | ||
In Galician, the word "mercado" can also refer to a town square or a commercial area in a city. | |||
German | markt | ||
While the word "Markt" in German usually refers to a "market", it can also mean "place" or "square". | |||
Icelandic | markaði | ||
Markaður (market) is derived from the Old Norse word "markaðr" which means "meeting place". | |||
Irish | mhargadh | ||
The word "mhargadh" in Irish derives from the Proto-Celtic word "*markos" meaning "horse trade". | |||
Italian | mercato | ||
The Italian word "mercato" is derived from the Latin word "mercatus," which originally meant a "place of trade" or "buying and selling." | |||
Luxembourgish | maart | ||
The word "Maart" is derived from the Latin "mercatus" and is also used to refer to a fair or festival. | |||
Maltese | suq | ||
In Maltese, the word "suq" (market) is derived from the Arabic word "sūq," but it can also refer to a "bazaar" or a "flea market." | |||
Norwegian | marked | ||
The word "marka" in Norwegian can also refer to an area of wilderness or a border, reflecting its original meaning of "boundary". | |||
Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | mercado | ||
In Portuguese, "mercado" can also refer to a supermarket or grocery store (Brazil), or a stock exchange (Portugal). | |||
Scots Gaelic | margaidh | ||
The Scots Gaelic word "margaidh" can also refer to a place of assembly or exchange, or a meeting point between two bodies of water. | |||
Spanish | mercado | ||
Mercado derives from the Latin word 'mercatus', which originally referred to the public spaces where goods were traded and is related to the verb 'mercari', meaning 'to buy'. In modern usage, it refers to both the physical and digital spaces where goods and services are exchanged. | |||
Swedish | marknadsföra | ||
The Swedish word "marknadsföra" is derived from the Old Norse "markaðr", meaning "market", and "fora", meaning "to carry" or "to bring." | |||
Welsh | farchnad | ||
Its first element is 'far-' which, in Irish and Gaelic, is a combining form of 'feur' ('edge' or 'border'), while its second element is '-naid-'. This second element in early Irish meant 'fair, mart', from the verb 'nai' ('to sell'). |
Belarusian | рынку | ||
The word "рынку" also means "exchange" or "swap" in Belarusian. | |||
Bosnian | tržište | ||
The word 'tržište' is derived from the Slavic word 'trg', meaning 'public square', and is related to the German word 'Markt' and the English word 'market'. | |||
Bulgarian | пазар | ||
The word "пазар" can also refer to a "weekly market", "fair" or a "place of trading." | |||
Czech | trh | ||
The word "trh" in Czech is cognate with the word "targ" in Polish and comes from the Proto-Slavic word "tъrgъ", which referred to a marketplace or trading place. | |||
Estonian | turul | ||
The word "turul" also refers to a kind of traditional Estonian market where various goods are sold. | |||
Finnish | markkinoida | ||
"Markkinoida" is derived from the Proto-Germanic word "markäł" meaning "boundary" or "border", and it originally referred to a place where goods were exchanged. | |||
Hungarian | piac | ||
The Hungarian word "piac" comes from the Latin word "platea", meaning "broad street" or "square", and also shares etymology with the word "plaza" via the Spanish language. | |||
Latvian | tirgū | ||
The Latvian word "tirgū" also refers to a meeting or gathering place. | |||
Lithuanian | turgus | ||
The word "turgus" in Lithuanian derives from an ancient Indo-European Proto-Baltic word that also meant "gathering place" and "meeting". | |||
Macedonian | пазар | ||
The word "пазар" in Macedonian can also mean "a day of the week" (Monday) or "a fair". | |||
Polish | rynek | ||
"Rynek" derives from Proto-Slavic *rynъkъ meaning "public square", cognate with Russian рынок and Ukrainian ринок. | |||
Romanian | piaţă | ||
"Piaţă" comes from Low Latin platea, which can mean the public square of a town or the space in front of a building. | |||
Russian | рынок | ||
"Рынок" (market) derives from the Proto-Slavic "*оrьnъ", meaning "fenced-in place", and is related to "*оrъ", meaning "yard". | |||
Serbian | тржиште | ||
In addition to its primary meaning of "market," "тржиште" can also refer to a "crowd" or a "gathering of people."} | |||
Slovak | trhu | ||
The word "trh" in Slovak comes from the Proto-Slavic word "tъrgъ", meaning "trade" or "commerce". | |||
Slovenian | trgu | ||
The word "trgu" derives from the Proto-Slavic "trъgъ", related to "terg" in Latin and "targ" in Polish, meaning "marketplace" or "open space". | |||
Ukrainian | ринку | ||
Meaning "to squeak, squeal" is shared with "rynok" (Polish), "ryk" (Belarusian) and "rūkti" (Lithuanian). |
Bengali | বাজার | ||
The word "বাজার" (bazar) likely derives from the Persian "bāzār" (market) and also refers to a particular type of marketplace or street where small tradesmen and merchants gather. | |||
Gujarati | બજાર | ||
In Gujarati, “બજાર” (market) also refers to a busy, crowded place resembling a marketplace. | |||
Hindi | बाजार | ||
The word "bazaar" derives from the Persian word "bāzār", meaning "a street or marketplace". | |||
Kannada | ಮಾರುಕಟ್ಟೆ | ||
It is also used to refer to the people involved in a particular industry or activity. | |||
Malayalam | വിപണി | ||
The word വിപണി shares a root with the Sanskrit word 'vikrayanam', which means 'selling'. | |||
Marathi | बाजार | ||
The word "बाजार" (market) is derived from the Persian word "bāzār" and is also used to refer to an open marketplace or a specific area where goods and services are sold. | |||
Nepali | बजार | ||
The word 'बजार' is derived from the Sanskrit word 'vyājāra' meaning 'street' or 'row of shops'. | |||
Punjabi | ਮਾਰਕੀਟ | ||
The word | |||
Sinhala (Sinhalese) | වෙළඳපොළ | ||
In Sanskrit, the word 'veḷaṇḍa' refers to a place where goods are sold, while in Sinhala, it also means 'a fair or exhibition'. | |||
Tamil | சந்தை | ||
The Tamil word "சந்தை" can also refer to a gathering of people for a purpose other than buying and selling, such as a religious festival or a political rally. | |||
Telugu | సంత | ||
The Telugu word "సంత" (market), has alternate meanings including "fair" and "festival". | |||
Urdu | مارکیٹ | ||
The Urdu word "مارکیٹ" comes from the Persian word "بازار" which means "public square" or "marketplace". |
Chinese (Simplified) | 市场 | ||
In addition to its literal meaning as “marketplace”, the Chinese word “市场” can also refer to a “market” in the business sense, or to “market demand”. | |||
Chinese (Traditional) | 市場 | ||
"市場" can also mean 'market price' or 'market forces'. | |||
Japanese | 市場 | ||
"市場" denotes not only a physical marketplace but also a figurative one, such as the art market or the political market. | |||
Korean | 시장 | ||
In addition to "market," "시장" can also mean "downtown" or "town center" in Korean, reflecting the historical role of markets as central hubs within Korean communities. | |||
Mongolian | зах зээл | ||
The word "зах зээл" is also used to refer to a specific type of market where livestock is traded. | |||
Myanmar (Burmese) | စျေးကွက် | ||
Originally meaning "a place where buyers and sellers assemble for trade," the word "စျေးကွက်" now also refers specifically to a place where vegetables, fruit, and seafood are sold. |
Indonesian | pasar | ||
In Javanese, "pasar" also refers to a ritual offering in a sacred place. | |||
Javanese | pasar | ||
**Alternate meaning(s)**: a shop that sells various kinds of food in Java, similar to warungs or street stalls. | |||
Khmer | ទីផ្សារ | ||
"ទីផ្សារ" (market) also means "the place where people meet to exchange goods, ideas, or information". | |||
Lao | ຕະຫຼາດ | ||
Derived from Sanskrit "ไทัสก้์" (trádṅ) | |||
Malay | pasar | ||
"Pasar" also means "to visit" or "to stop by" a place. | |||
Thai | ตลาด | ||
The word "ตลาด" (market) in Thai can also refer to a town or a place where people gather. | |||
Vietnamese | thị trường | ||
The Vietnamese word "thị trường" likely derives from the Chinese phrase "市場 (shì chǎng)", denoting a trading hub or fair. | |||
Filipino (Tagalog) | merkado | ||
Azerbaijani | bazar | ||
Bazar also means "conversation" or "debate" in Azerbaijani. | |||
Kazakh | нарық | ||
In Mongolian, 'nari' means 'sun' or 'south', and in Old Turkic, 'narug' means 'sunny' or 'warm'. | |||
Kyrgyz | базар | ||
The word "базар" (базар) can also mean "gossip" or "rumor" in Kyrgyz. | |||
Tajik | бозор | ||
The modern term derives from Middle Persian *bāzār (market, assembly) as opposed to the inherited Iranian word *ganǰa- (treasure; in Tajiki it is used for a bazaar specializing in precious metals). | |||
Turkmen | bazary | ||
Uzbek | bozor | ||
The word "bozor" also refers to a type of social gathering or festive event in Uzbek culture. | |||
Uyghur | بازار | ||
Hawaiian | mākeke | ||
The word "mākeke" in Hawaiian also refers to a marketplace or gathering place, where people exchange goods and services. | |||
Maori | mākete | ||
The Maori word "mākete" originates from the English word "market", with the added prefix "mā" indicating the place or location of the market. | |||
Samoan | maketi | ||
Maketi, meaning 'market,' draws its origin from the Proto-Polynesian word 'maketi,' and also signifies a 'space for barter and exchange' in other Polynesian languages. | |||
Tagalog (Filipino) | merkado | ||
Tagalog "merkado" comes from the Spanish word "mercado," while its alternate meaning, "bargain," originates from the Chinese Hokkien dialectic "miako". |
Aymara | qhathu | ||
Guarani | ñemuguasu | ||
Esperanto | merkato | ||
The word "merkato" in Esperanto comes from the Amharic word for "market", which is "me?rk?at" | |||
Latin | forum | ||
The Latin word "forum" initially referred to an open area outside the city walls, where the community would gather to conduct business, politics, and religious ceremonies. |
Greek | αγορά | ||
The word 'αγορά' can also refer to the ancient Athenian assembly or meeting place and is ultimately derived from the verb αἱρέω meaning 'to choose' or 'to take', likely because the earliest markets were gathering places for public meetings. | |||
Hmong | kev ua lag luam | ||
The word "kev ua lag luam" can also mean "commerce", "business", or "trade". | |||
Kurdish | bazar | ||
The Kurdish word "bazar" can also refer to a large and often bustling gathering of people, similar to a festival or fair. | |||
Turkish | market | ||
In Turkish, "market" also refers to a grocery store or supermarket. | |||
Xhosa | kwimarike | ||
The word 'kwimarike' is derived from the Zulu word 'imakethe', which also means 'market'. | |||
Yiddish | מאַרק | ||
"מאַרק" may also derive from the German "Mark" which has several meanings, including "sign" or "boundary" | |||
Zulu | emakethe | ||
The Zulu word "emakethe" originates from the Nguni language and has additional meanings such as "place of trade" or "gathering point". | |||
Assamese | বজাৰ | ||
Aymara | qhathu | ||
Bhojpuri | मंडी | ||
Dhivehi | މާރުކޭޓު | ||
Dogri | बजार | ||
Filipino (Tagalog) | merkado | ||
Guarani | ñemuguasu | ||
Ilocano | merkado | ||
Krio | makit | ||
Kurdish (Sorani) | بازاڕ | ||
Maithili | बाजार | ||
Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯀꯩꯊꯦꯜ | ||
Mizo | bazar | ||
Oromo | gabaa | ||
Odia (Oriya) | ବଜାର | ||
Quechua | qatu | ||
Sanskrit | विपणि | ||
Tatar | базар | ||
Tigrinya | ዕዳጋ | ||
Tsonga | makete | ||